Silhouttes- Your Shadow Self.

sil·hou·ette

noun

plural noun: silhouettes

1. 1. 

   the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light.

   synonyms:

   outline, contour(s), profile, form, shape, figure, shadow "the silhouette of the dome"

The History of Silhouettes

The art of silhouette cutting originated in Europe in the early 1700's. 
Prior to the French revolution, silhouettists were hired as an 
amusement for the royal class. The featured artist would attend the 
many extravagant balls and cut out the distinguished profiles of the 
Lords and Ladies capturing the latest fashions and elaborate wigs.

While the aristocrats were having their silhouettes cut out and eating 
like kings much of Europe was starving, especially in France. In the 
1760's the Finance Minister of France, Etienne de Silhouette, had 
crippled the French people with his merciless tax polices. Oblivious to 
his people's plight, Etienne was much more interested in his hobby of 
cutting out paper profiles, the latest fad. Etienne de Silhouette was so 
despised by the people of France that in protest the peasant s wore 
only black mimicking his black paper cutouts. The saying went all over 
France,"We are dressing a la Silhouette. We are shadows, too poor to 
wear color. We are Silhouettes!" To this very day the black profile 
cutouts are called silhouettes. Thankfully, the negative connotation no 
longer remains.

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